Lily plant named Darling

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct clonal lily cultivar of the Oriental hybrid type, particularly suited for pot culture and distinguished by its short stature, its relatively large, bowl-shaped flowers of rich magenta-rose coloration, the deep rose-pink bud coloration before the flower opens, its deep green and horizontal leaves, and its long persistence both as a forced pot plant and as a field or garden grown plant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of lily plant originated as a seedling of unknownparentage discovered by me at my nursery in Arcata, Calif., in June of1976. The large and richly colored flowers of this plant in combinationwith its short stature and silhouette appropriate for a pot plantcultivar prompted me to propagate this clone for further evaluation.This plant has been asexually propagated by me and under my direction atArcata, Calif., through many successive generations produced by bulbscale propagation, natural propagation from bulblets and division, andby tissue culture originating from bulb scales. Such propagation hasdemonstrated that the clone retains its short habit, broad leaves, largeflower size, and good bud color when forced into flower out-of-season.The successive generations of this cultivar have shown that its noveland distinctive characteristics are fixed and hold true from generationto generation.

Bulbs which have been dug at the proper stage of maturity and properlyprecooled can be forced into flower out-of-season with a reliableperformance and without excessive bud abortion, even during periods ofrelatively low light, thereby showing that this clone is a valuableaddition to the commercial production of potted lilies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new variety of lily plant is illustrated in the accompanyingphotographic drawing, which shows the upper half portion of a floweringstem of a potted plant in the upper view and a full face view of aflower of this plant together with foliage and buds in the principalview, the color rendition being as nearly true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of my new Oriental hybrid lilycultivar according to observations made on greenhouse grown plants atSandy, Oreg., in the Spring of 1985, with color designations accordingto the R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The Royal Horticultural Societyof London, England, and with nomenclature according to The InternationalLily Register, also published by The Royal Horticultural Society.

THE PLANT

Origin: Seedling.

Parentage: Unknown.

Classification:

Botanic.--Hybrid lily cultivar; Division VI-B of the HorticulturalClassification of Lilies by The Royal Horticultural Society.

Commercial.--Oriental hybrid lily.

Form: Single stem from each bulb, erect and bushy.

Height: About 30 to 50 cm.

Growth: Compact, sturdy and vigorous, with good strength.

Foliage:

Quantity.--Abundant.

Size of leaf.--Ranging from about 5 to 10 cm. in length and about 2 cm.wide, the longest leaf being at the top of the stem.

Shape of leaf.--Broad lanceolate.

Aspect.--Leathery and glossy.

Color.--Upper and under sides, dark green. Chlorophyll pigmentationoverlaid with anthocyanin.

Bulbs:

Size.--Varying with age; ranging up to about 30 cm. in circumference.

Color.--White, with flushes of soft pink or yellow which deepen as thebulbs become larger or are exposed to light.

THE BUD

Form: Generally oblong-ovate with obtuse base and acute apex.

Size: About 10 to 12 cm. in length and about 5 cm. in circumference,depending upon light and nutritional levels.

Opening rate: The bud opens slowly, in response to morning light; budsopen successively from the lowermost to the uppermost, typical ofLilium.

Color: Medium magenta-rose, RHS Red-Purple 63 C-D, just before budsopen, shading to softer tones at the bud tips.

Peduncle: About 2 to 3 cm. long and of dark green color. The pedunclemay elongate under low light conditions or when bulbs have beenimproperly stored prior to forcing.

THE FLOWER

Blooming habit: Flowering annually in mid-season and profusely. Flowersoccur in late July under field conditions in Arcata, Calif.; and whenproperly forced from appropriately precooled bulbs, the plant willflower in 95 to 110 days in the greenhouse.

Size of flower: Large, averaging 20 to 22 cm. in diameter, recurving toabout 15 to 18 cm. wide. The recurving of the tepals forms a "bowl" 4 to4.5 cm. deep.

Borne: As a compact raceme with each pedicel bearing one bud. Bulbs oftypical commercial size bear an average of 5 to 8 flowers.

Shape: Bowl-shaped with broad and overlapping tepals, slightly recurved.

Tepalage:

Number.--Six.

Shape.--Generally ovoid with the uppermost tepals averaging about 5 cm.wide and the lower tepals about 3 cm. wide.

Arrangement.--Normal.

Color.--The basic color is Red-Purple, RHS 62 C-D, with a deeper band ofRHS 63B 1 cm. wide along the tepal midrib, shading laterally through 62C-D to 63C along the outer 2 cm. at the tepal margins, the inner orlower tepal margins being lightly frilled. Papillae are RHS 63B; and thenectaries are green, with a 3 to 4 mm. wide yellow margin.

Color change.--The color faces slightly and becomes more brown as theflower ages or in intense light and heat. Under cool conditions, thecolor is richer and retained longer.

Tepal longetivity.--Tepals stay on the stem about 2 to 3 weeks.

Pedicel:

Length.--About 7 to 8 cm. ascending at about 45° from the stem axis.

Color.--Dark green.

Fragrance: The fragrance is heavy and sweet.

Disease resistance: The flower and plant are adequately resistant todisease as observed at Arcata, Calif.

Persistence: The flowers are long lasting, both on field grown plantsand as forced potted plants.

THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens, anthers:

Arrangement.--Typical of Lilium and six in number.

Color.--RHS 180 A-B.

Filaments: About 7 to 8 cm. long and soft pink to white in color.

Pistils:

Number.--One per flower.

Style: Light green to white in color, sometimes slightly pink.

Stigma: Large and purple-grey in color.

The cumulative features of this new lily plant indicate this cultivar tohave definite advantages of commercial value and in general this newplant provides a valuable addition to the commercial production ofpotted lilies.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Oriental hybrid lily,substantially as herein shown and described, characterized by its shortstature, its short but broad leaves of dark green color, its outwardlyfacing, bowl-shaped flowers of very large size and of a magenta-rosecoloration, and its reliable forcing performance as a pot plantcultivar.